Aug 29, 2013 03:07 PM EDT
Evidence Shows Life Started on Mars Before Earth (VIDEO)

A recent study indicates that all life on Earth may have started on Mars, according to the BBC.

Details of the theory were presented by Professor Steven Benner at the Goldschmidt Meeting in Florence, Italy.

Brenner feels that there is "strong evidence" that the beginnings of organic life came to Earth from Mars from a meteorite or volcanic eruptions.

The evidence detailed is "based on how the first molecules necessary for life were assembled" according to the BBC News.

Scientists have often thought about how atoms first joined together to make Proteins, DNA, and RNA, three important molecular components of living organisms.

"The molecules that combined to form genetic material are far more complex than the primordial 'pre-biotic' soup of organic (carbon-based) chemicals thought to have existed on the Earth more than three billion years ago, and RNA (ribonucleic acid) is thought to have been the first of them to appear," said the BBC.

There is growing evidence that early life on Earth relied on boron and oxidized molybdenum according to the BBC News.

"This form of molybdenum couldn't have been available on Earth at the time life first began, because three billion years ago, the surface of the Earth had very little oxygen, but Mars did," said Benner, according to BBC.com. "It's yet another piece of evidence which makes it more likely life came to Earth on a Martian meteorite, rather than starting on this planet."

Molybdenum is a mineral believed to be the key element in the early stages of Earth, however only it only works when it is oxidized, or exposed to oxygen. The issue with this is there was very little oxygen on Earth.

Mars did have oxygen however, and a recent study of a Martian meteorite had boron and molybdenum according to BBC News. This supposedly is the answer to the "tar paradox," which shows that organic molecules exposed to energy does not become life, but instead more of a "tar-like goo" according to Benner.

Mars was also drier than Earth, which was mostly made up of water.

"What's quite clear is that boron, as an element, is quite scarce in Earth's crust," Prof Benner said to BBC News. "But Mars has been drier than Earth and more oxidizing, so if Earth is not suitable for the chemistry, Mars might be."

Benner feels that it is lucky humans wound up on Earth instead of Mars as our planet has been the "better" of the two planets for sustaining life.

Related Articles:

Labor Day Weekend 2013: 400 Traffic Fatalities Predicted by National Safety Council

Honda to Launch New 2014 Odyssey Ads Featuring Neil Patrick Harris, Rainn Wilson

Scientists Play Video Game Using Human Mind Control (VIDEO)

Car Dealership Mocks Heisman Winner Johnny Manziel in New Ad (VIDEO)

iPhone 6 Release Date Rumors: Apple to Offer Trade in This Fall For New Device

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?

 PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST 

EDITOR'S PICK    

Hyundai to Invest $16.1 Billion for EV Business; Sets Annual Sales Goal of 1.87M Electric Cars by 2030

World's Most Expensive and Most Heavily-optioned Porsche 928 GTS is Coming Home to the U.S.

Major Boost as Tesla Giga Berlin Facility in Final Phase of Approval Process; Delivery Event Set This Month

Audi Looking for e-tron Electric Vehicles to Spur Car Brand's Growth in India in 2022

Toyota Offers Free EV Charging to Owners of 2023 bZ4X After Partnership Agreement with EVgo

2022 Suzuki Baleno Finally Unveiled in India: What are the Specs and Features of this City Car?